Review: Only The Savage Are Left #2
From Dark Horse Comics
From Dark Horse Comics, Only The Savage Are Left #2 continues this story of monsters in more ways than one.
A cautious Ryder partners with a ruthless and unlikely ally in search of his missing true love. But as Ryder faces a mercenary, post-apocalyptic road and the constant threat of infection by the monster virus, he must confront his past demons to determine who he will be on this high-stakes journey.
Author: Zack Kaplan
Artist: Stefano Raffaele
Building off nicely of the setup from the initial issue, Only The Savage Are Left #2 hammers home what kind of world is left over and the type of things people are doing not only to survive but also to gain power in their own way.
Ryder is the main character here, and we see what sort of person he is. Is he the type who would survive in a time like this? The odds don’t look good for him, as he is hesitant and unwilling to kill unless he himself is threatened.
Teaming Ryder up with someone with looser morals for his rescue mission makes this an interesting read, as there are discussions and examples for Ryder to consider—even flashing back to before, making him an interesting character in this world of monsters.
Of course this series is showing us that the monstrous aspects are not just on the outside but on the inside too, with some characters introduced who are internally the type of person that Ryder doesn’t want to be—this is excellently shown in a threatening way as a choice needs to be made.
Ryder does his best, but his methods cause more problems, which moves the story along quickly. There are some excellent action panels that add to the story being told.
The artwork is excellent, combining the normal with the monstrous at different levels—some have partial mutations, and then there are those who have fully changed. Adding in the landscaping and buildings makes this an excellent read, even as we watch the pain on Ryder’s face as he is forced to make difficult decisions.
It is a gripping story as we follow the characters and see if this road to hell is paved with good intentions.
